Faucet reducer



May 23, 1950 o. w. HOLDEN FAUCET REDUCER Filed Nov. 5, 1948 INVENTOR.. O gfZUffZfl/ib [d672,

Patented May 23, 1950 FAUCET REDUCER.

Orloif W. Holden, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Orlofl W. Holden and Marguerite H. Holden, doing business as Knickerbocker Rubber Company, not Inc., Chicago, 111., a. partnership Application November 5, 1948, Serial No. 58,480

. diameter.

A faucet reducer customarily comprises a mounting portion which fits on or in the mouth of a faucet, and a protruding stem or nipple portion on which a hose connector or the like is fitted. In a prior type of faucet reducer, a wing nut threaded on the stem was employed to compress a rubber bushing or washer after the same had been inserted in the mouth of a faucet, thus causing the sides of the washer to bulge out against the faucet wall for holding the reducer in place. The rubber hose connector was frictionally fitted onto the stem and retained thereon by its inherent resiliency. Not infrequently the water pressure would overcome this resilient force of the rubber, thereby causing the hose connector to swell and pop loose. It is a primary object of the present invention to overcome this annoying feature of prior faucet reducers.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel constraining means to prevent the hose connector from swelling because of water pressure to the point where it is dislodged from the stem of the reducer.

A further object is to adapt the nut of a faucet reducer for the dual purpose of attaching the reducer to the faucet and preventing the expansion of the hose connector at the place where it fastens onto the reducer.

A still further object is to provide a more useful faucet reducer at approximately the same cost as formerly.

A feature of the invention is the improved nut on the reducer, which has a sleeve or skirt portion that surrounds the portion of the rubber hose connector which seats on the nipple. This prevents the hose connector from expanding and being unseated due to the water pressure within the hose.

Another feature is the dual function of the nut, this member serving both to compress the washer and to hold the hose on the nipple.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be better understood from a study of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a faucet reducer embodying the invention, together with the associated parts of the faucet and hose;

Fig. 2 is a, vertical, sectional view on the line 21-2 of Fig. 1; and.

5 Claims. (Cl. 28590) Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of th faucet reducer.

In practicing the invention, a sleeve nut is threaded on the stem of the reducer, with the sleeve portion of the nut extending toward the outlet end of the stem and the face portion of the nut disposed toward the compressible washer. The washer and the upper end of the stem are inserted in the mouth of the faucet, and the nut is turned to compress and bulge the washer until the reducer is firmly secured to the faucet. The connector for the hose then is fitted on the stem and is received within the sleeve nut, which embraces the hose connector without any appreciable clearance. Any tendency of the water pressure to expand the hose connector'is resisted by the sleeve nut, so that the connector remains as firmly seated as though there were no internal water pressure exerted thereon.

Referring now to the drawings, the faucet reducer comprises a stem or nipple portion In, a washer l2 of resilient material such as rubber, a flat metallic washer l4 and a sleeve nut 16. An annular lip or shoulder i8 is formed on the upper end of the stem l0, and the rubber washer l2 bears against this shoulder Ill. The washer [4 seats against the end of the faucet l9, as shown in Fig. l. The stem Ill has a threaded portion 20 on which the central thread portion 2| of the sleeve nut i6 is threaded. The stem I0 also has a fluted or corrugated lower portion 22 on which the rubber hose connector 24 is adapted to fit. The rubber hose 2 6 is fastened to the connector 24.

To install the faucet reducer on a faucet such as l9, the upper portion of the reducer, including the compressible washer i2, is inserted in the mouth of the faucet. The initial shape of the washer i2 is indicated by full lines in Fig. 2. The nut l6 then is turned to apply force on the washer l2. As shown, the nut l6 has a skirt or sleeveportion 25 with a fluted or knurled outer surface to facilitate gripping thereof, and a face portion '2! which bears against the washer I4. As the nut I6 is tightened, the faceportion 21 exerts pressure on the washer l2 so that the sides of the washer l2 tend to bulge out, as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 2. This action is resisted by the mouth of the faucet l9, causing the washer l2 to be compressed tightly against the inside of the faucet, thereby securing the reducer thereto.

The connector portion 24 of the hose 26 is received in the hollow interior of the nut I6. The connector 24 has an inwardly turned lip 28 which pressure within the hose increases, and -.-ln--th e.

past this has caused the connector 24 to sweIl and pop loose. In the presentfiaucetrreducer thisals impossible, because the sleeve or shirt-of the nut l6 prevents any outward expansion of -;the -connector 24, so that the lip 28 remains firmly seated on the corrugated part 22 of :the rstemaig ,at all times.

It will be appreciated from the foregoingdescription that I have greatly improved the older dormsofriaucetereducer bysus'ing asleeve nut H3 in place of the win nut formerly-employed. My new iiaucet -;r.educer furthermore .-pr.esen ts ran :at-

-=tractitae;-appearance,which may be enhanced :by

shrdmiumplatin the nut-l 6.

While li h invention :has sheen illustrated and described :With lidife lli'ilde etc a preferred embodimc zthereof, qit'ishouldxbe: understood that-modifieations 50f such embodiment can be eficfited within the full intendedscepe, -ofsth nv ntionas set orth- .intheanpendedolaims.

:Lciaim:

1. .A one-piece nut for a faucet g-reducer -;.of the tyne-barin ares li ntz asherradapteditobecom pressed within the mouth of a -fa-ucet and also havingtagstem with threads thereon :and with a corrugatedpart on which the :ponnector portion of a flexible-hose ais l-frictionally-fitted, aaxid nut including --.a body portion having :a central threaded opening --therein for pbeingiscrewedonto the threads f he r:vstem, a i c .n rt on .pn -:.-sa=id body;portion {or operative connection "with the resilientwasher to compress the-same by screw action, -.and :integral means v--projecting {from paid bod-y,portion axiallyyawayfrom said face portion to define. a space :ior grecei-ving the hose connect tor portion on uthe stem and to res-train .the.:.C0nnectar 1 portion .from .being expanded radially by fluid pressure withi the hose es i o t n nieansrhavingzaz limited depth orengaeementwith the ;-hose connector portion :much less 'than '=the outer; diameter of the-.connector-portion.

reducer of the type having a resilient washer adapted to be icornpressed ,within :the ,mouth of th faucetlandalso haviugsastein 'wi hzthre ds i restrain the connector portion from being expanded radially by fluid pressure within the hose.

3. A faucet reducer for couplin the connector portion of a flexible hose to a faucet, such reducer comprising a hollow stem for receiving the hose connector thereon, and fastening means for securing said :stem to the .i-aucet, said fastening means including-a nutthreaded onto said stem and having skirt means projecting axially from the periphery thereof for embracing the hose connector and restraining radial expansion thereof due 'to fluid pressure in the hose, with said skirt means and said 'stem being so related to each other as te permit axial movement of the conenector alongsaldstem while at the same time be- '-ing-relatively positioned to restrain the radial expansion-sot -thesconnector when the same is seated on said stem.

'4. Apparatus for coupling a flexible hose to a faucet, comprising an enlarged resilient connecilOl" -Dn:the end of the hose, said connector havingan inwardly turned annular lip at'the open end thereof, a hollow stem having an externally threaded portion and also having a corrugated portion-on whichsaid'lipseats to retain said connectar on said stem, and means for fastening. said stem to the faucet includinga nut having :an internally threaded central portion cooperating with the externall-y threaded portion of said stern, saidqnut having-integral means projectin axially from the periphery ,thereof' embracing said con nectar-sand restraining radial expansion thereof due to fluidpressurein the hose, with said-integral means and said stern being so related to each othernand to said connector to permit axial movement .of said connector. along said stem and lac-restrain the radial expansion of .said connector when seated on said stem.

.5. Apparatus .jor coupling .a'flexible hose $018. faucet comprising, an enlarged resilient connectoron the .end of the hose, said connector having an inwardly turned annular lip at the open endthereof, a hollow stem having a corrugated portion on which said lip seats for retaining said connector .on said stern, .a resilient washer .on saidstem insertable in the fauceigend a nut having a screw-threaded connection with said stern, said .nut including a .face portion for operative connection with said washer to compress the same byscrew actionandalso having an axially p 0- jecting slpirt'portion of such configuration to permit axial movement of the connector along said stem andto restrain radial expansion of said conhector due'to fluid pressure within the hose.

'ORLOFF W. HOLDEN.

-REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 590,590 Prevet Sept. 28, 1897 872,001 -Massie Nov. 26, 1907 966,748 Honecker Aug. 9, 1910 1,558,161 'Gunderson Oct. 20, 1925 2,152,429 Cave Mar. 28, 1939 

